Okay maybe I am a bit older than 5, but this was my 5th birthday celebrated in the UAE. I will admit that this year’s celebrations were toned down significantly compared to years past. Maybe that is what happens when you get older. Or possibly that is what happens when you are 36-weeks pregnant and have a gaggle of children at home. Whatever the reason, it was a fairly quiet birthday.

Now, it may not have been as thrilling as my husband’s last birthday which was celebrated in Portland by going skydiving, having a night out on the town dancing, and conceiving a baby, but my birthday was lovely nevertheless.

The weekend before my birthday, Clark and I tried out the new Mexican menu at Chili’s. I have to say, it was by far the best Mexican food that I have had in this country. The tableside guacamole was fabulous, and my fajitas were not overcooked, which tends to be a problem with meat here. I ate so much food that it is damn lucky that I can use the excuse of ‘eating for two’.

The day of my actual birthday was a workday, so I was at work. Working hard, or something like that. It is possible that I spent a lot of that day catching up
with family and friends as they sent birthday wishes my way. Don’t judge. I am normally the hardest working pregnant person you will see in this whole university.

After work, I had an appointment at Oasis for a normal pregnancy check-up. As a birthday gift, the doctor had me get an ultrasound to check the baby’s growth. Okay, well she probably would have had me get an ultrasound regardless if it was my birthday or not, but it was still a nice surprise. It is always reassuring to get that confirmation that everything is fine. Baby is head down, amniotic fluid is at the right amount, and baby’s size is in the normal range.

That evening, Clark gave me a gorgeous Pandora charm bracelet complete with a camel and a ‘It’s a boy’ charm to mark the occasion. And, the boys spoiled me with chocolate, soda, chips, and gummy bears that they bought with their own allowance money.

The weekend after my birthday, we took a quicky trip to Abu Dhabi. Using some birthday money that I was sent, we had lunch/dinner at Olive Garden. It was the first time that we have had O.G. in this country. It was…well basically the same as the O.G. in the States, so that is a good thing.

As I said, a relatively calm birthday week. With my first four birthdays in this country, I spent them going to different cities in the UAE. Celebrating with excessive…Sprite… This year, in many ways, I feel like I celebrated American-style. American restaurant chains, working, and family. Maybe not as exciting, but just as enjoyable all the same.